Getting Financial Assistance While Waiting on the Disability Claim
Waiting for your Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can be frustrating, especially if you are short on finances. The initial application may take up to 3 to 5 months. If you are approved for to receive the benefits, you could start receiving them within 5 months after the date of your disability onset. The Social Security Administration (SSA) expects your workers’ compensation, your private disability insurance, or your investments to kick in during the interim.
However, not everybody has these securities to fall back on. When you are no longer employable because of your disability and need financial assistance as you await a determination on your Social Security Disability benefits, here are a few options open to you.
- Ask your local Department of Social Services for information on programs you can apply to. Most state welfare programs offer financial assistance to those with disabilities. Eligibility, and how much benefits you may receive differs from state to state.
- Seek the help of charities. Some charities give grants to individuals with certain types of disabilities.
- Churches and other religious institutes usually offer financial assistance in such cases to their members.
- Your family and friends may be able to help you pull through the interim period.
- Remember, help isn’t always in the form of finances. There are several organizations that may offer you meals, a ride or any other form of practical assistance which would help you cut down on your expenses.
In certain cases, Social Security may reduce your SSD benefits if you are receiving financial assistance from other sources. Make sure the assistance you are receiving from is not part of the Social Security sources that gets calculated into your benefits.
If you’d like to know more about your options for financial assistance, call us now. A knowledgeable customer service representative will walk you through the different options.